The "Magical" Stereolithography Process

The AAROFLEXsolid imaging process, referred to as "stereolithography," closely parallels that of a laser printer. Just as a computer directs a laser to print ink line by line to produce a printed page, in stereolithography, a computer directs a laser to solidify photosensitive polymer layer upon layer to produce a physical object.

AAROFLEX Chairman Albert Young often refers to the AAROFLEX Solid Imager as the "Magic Machine". The stereolithography process certainly appears magical, as a three-dimensional physical object slowly forms, bottom to top, from a pool of crystal clear liquid. The magic, however, is that of chemistry and science. Proprietary software slices three-dimensional computer data of computer-aided designs or medical imagery into thin layers. These layers are then physically created as a computer-controlled laser and optical scanning system direct beams of ultraviolet light onto the surface of a tank of photosensitive liquid polymer below. After each layer is solidified and adhered to the previous layer, the platform supporting the model lowers to allow formation of the succeeding layer. Upon creation of the final layer, the platform is raised to reveal the physical, three-dimensional representation of the computer file.